[TriciaR]

My first job was detassing corn. We "raked in" a whole 40 cents an hour or $16 For the week in 1959.

Thanks for sharing that memory @Steve Krafcky — detasseling corn is no easy job, especially out in the heat! 40 cents an hour sounds like a small amount now, but I imagine it felt pretty good back in 1959. Do you remember what you did with that $16 at the end of the week? And was it a one-time summer job, or did you do it more than once?

 

[TriciaR]

My first legal job was as a bus boy at the Cafe Picardy, located inside the Muehlbach Hotel in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. My salary was $1.47 an hour. Fifty years have passed and I still have fond memories of the hotel and restaurant.

What a great memory—thank you for sharing it @dbowman59 ! Working as a bus boy at the Café Picardy in such a historic hotel must’ve been a fascinating experience. It’s lovely that those memories have stayed with you after all these years. Were there any standout moments or regular customers that left a lasting impression? And did that job spark an interest in hospitality or food service later on?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job was pumping gas at a "full service" station, checking oil, cleaning windows, etc, for $1.25 an hr, which was decent money in the late 60's!

Thanks for sharing @That old man! — what a classic first job! There’s something so nostalgic about the full-service station days—checking oil, cleaning windows, the whole experience. $1.25 an hour in the mid-’60s really was pretty decent! Did you enjoy chatting with the customers while you worked? And was there a favorite car you remember getting to fill up?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job that I had besides babysitting was in a sandwich ice cream shop. I had just turned 16 and got my driver's license. I was driving to my father's upholstery business afterschool and had heard people talking about getting a job there earlier in the day. I stopped and asked if they were hiring. He hired me on the spot. I enjoyed that job and worked there after school and in the summer. My sister later got a job there to because I could drive her to work with me. I have no idea how much we were paid.

What a great story—thank you for sharing it @techgrandma ! There’s something so special about landing a job on the spot, especially just after getting your license—must’ve felt like real independence. Working at an ice cream sandwich shop sounds like a sweet first gig (literally!). Do you remember if you had a favorite flavor or treat from behind the counter? And how fun that your sister ended up working there too—was that your first time being co-workers?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job was pumping gas, like a lot of teenagers in my day! I don't remember my pay, but the minimum wage was $1.50 then, and I do remember that cigarettes weree 75c a pack! I remember customers copmplaining about the price, saying if it got to a $1 a pack, they would quit smoking, rather than pay the price!

Thanks for that blast from the past @That old man! ! Pumping gas really was a go-to job for so many teens back then—and such a great way to meet all sorts of people. It’s funny to think how 75 cents for a pack of cigarettes felt outrageous at the time! Did any of those customers actually follow through and quit when prices crept up? And do you remember if you enjoyed the job, or were you counting down the days until you could do something else?

 

[TriciaR]

I was 13 and worked at The Pup N Hound. It was a small 10 seat burger joint best burgers for 20 miles radius San Carlos California. We were always very busy. Homemade fries, I had to peel potatoes 2- 5 gallon buckets twice a day. As well as cook, serve and take money. I made a $1.50 and hr. The good old days!

What a fantastic first job memory—thank you for sharing it @mtnmama25 ! The Pup N Hound sounds like it was the place to be, and those homemade fries must’ve been worth all that peeling! It’s amazing how much responsibility you had at just 13—cooking, serving, handling money... all for $1.50 an hour. Do you ever find yourself comparing burgers today to the ones you served back then? And do you still have a soft spot for a good old-fashioned burger and fries?

 

[TriciaR]

Babysitting at age 14 earning .50 cents per hour. This was in the early 70’s. This was when the kids actually listened to their parents and to me. I doubt I would ever babysit again

Thanks for sharing that @Gayle B. ! Babysitting in the early ’70s for 50 cents an hour really was a rite of passage for so many—and you make such a great point about how different kids were back then. Sounds like you had things under control! Do you remember if there was one family you babysat for most often? And was there a moment that made you decide you were definitely done with babysitting for good?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job was when I was still in school, I was what they used to call "the girl singer" . I was with a trio and worked for scale in 1959. Good thing I still lived at home with my parental units.

What a fabulous first job—thank you for sharing that @MMByrd ! Being “the girl singer” with a trio in 1959 must’ve been such an exciting experience, especially while still in school. I love that you called your parents your “parental units”—clearly some humor has stayed with you! Do you remember your favorite song to perform? And did you keep singing after that, either professionally or just for fun?

 

[TriciaR]

Besides babysitting my first job was at Turnstyle in Indianapolis Ind. It was a dept.store. I worked in a few depts as well as cashiered. I worked in Men & Boys the longest. I also worked up in the printing shop where I printed signs for the depts. . I worked there my junior and senior years of high school. I made a lot of good friends there. We shared a lot of good times. I wish I could get in touch with a few now. I believe when I started working there in 1973 I started at $1.80 an hour. Funny thing is..I opened a checking account and bought a lot of my clothes..shoes.. albums etc. I paid for any extra I wanted and I managed to save for my first car! I bought myself a red corvair. It was an awesome little car that I loved! It cost me a whole $300 .At $1.80 an hour and buying what I did for myself I’m proud I was able to save enough to pay for my own car! I also paid for my own gas. I think at that time gas was around .52 cents a gallon. My how things have changed. I have great memories of those days!!!

What a fantastic story—thank you so much for sharing it @jabbycook ! It sounds like your time at Turnstyle was filled with great memories, friendship, and independence. I love that you not only worked across different departments but even got involved with printing the signs—that’s such a cool behind-the-scenes role. And saving up to buy your own red Corvair? That’s seriously impressive at $1.80 an hour! Do you still have a soft spot for that car? And have you ever tried to reconnect with any of those old workmates?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job was, picking grapes at a family friends farm. I was around 10 years old. Back then, everyone was paid in cash. It was a dirty and hot job, but, at 10 years old, I was excited to see that money. Believe it or not, we had fun doing it. Afterward when were done, the owner's wife made everyone lunch and we got to swim later.

What a great first job memory—thank you for sharing it @KingsburyGrade@67 ! Picking grapes at just 10 years old sounds like tough work, especially in the heat, but it’s lovely that it came with a sense of fun and reward. Getting paid in cash, enjoying a home-cooked lunch, and then cooling off with a swim—sounds like the kind of day that really sticks with you. Do you remember what you spent that first bit of cash on? Or was the lunch and swim the best part of the pay?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job was part time after school at a women's dress shop called The Style Shop. It is gon now and probably replaced by something else. It was located in Ballston Spa NY. Essentially it catered to woman's style fashions of the era. (Early 70s). I don't remember my first pay check but I do remember that is was always in cash and in a pay envelope. It wasn't much by today's standard but for a kid in highschool it was enough

Thank you for sharing that @fjgoslin — it paints such a lovely picture of a different time. Working at The Style Shop in Ballston Spa must have been such a fun introduction to the world of fashion, especially during the stylish early ’70s! There’s something so special about getting paid in a little cash envelope—it felt so official back then. Did working there spark a lasting interest in fashion, or was it just a great high school job at the time?

 

[TriciaR]

I was 14 and went to work stringing and sewing tobacco leaves, first paycheck
was 24.00 and I bought a bathing suit and a wallet!
long time ago!

What a great memory—thank you for sharing it @Capaten1 ! Stringing and sewing tobacco leaves at 14 sounds like such unique and hands-on work. And I love what you did with that first $24—buying a bathing suit and a wallet feels so perfectly of the time! Do you still remember what that bathing suit looked like? It’s funny how those first purchases stay with us, even all these years later.

 

[TriciaR]

Working at Green Giant canning co. for 3 summers. I don’t remember my first check, but I know the hr pay was around $2.23 an hr. Quite a few yrs ago, yikes!

Thanks for sharing that @Watson ! Three summers at Green Giant sounds like a solid seasonal gig—lots of long shifts, I bet, but probably some great memories too. $2.23 an hour feels like a distant time now, doesn’t it? Do you remember what kind of work you did there—were you on the line, or out in the field? And did it feel good to go back each summer, or were you counting down the days to the season’s end?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job was working in a cheese factory. I loved wrapping the cheese and helping to load the trucks. It was fun to see where the milk from our dairy farm ended up.

What a wonderful first job—thank you for sharing that @penquey ! Working in a cheese factory sounds like such a fun and rewarding experience, especially with the added joy of seeing your own farm’s milk come full circle. I love that you enjoyed wrapping the cheese and helping with the loading—there’s something satisfying about being part of the process from start to finish. Did it make you appreciate dairy work even more, or give you a new perspective on life beyond the farm?

 

[TriciaR]

Working in my grandparents store every weekend from age14 to 18

Thanks so much for sharing that @moppyroda — what a special way to spend your teenage years. Working in your grandparents’ store every weekend must have taught you so much, not just about work, but about family and responsibility too. Do you remember if you had a favorite task or a regular customer you looked forward to seeing? And did those weekends spark an interest in running a business of your own one day?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job was working at a Baitt Shop in my neighborhood? It was kinda fun except sticking my hand in the cricket cage to scoop them up! I made 50 cents an hour! I was only 12 and it seemed like a lot! Lol

What a great first job story—thank you for sharing it @Carrie ! Working at a bait shop at just 12 years old must’ve been quite the experience… especially braving the cricket cage! Fifty cents an hour felt like a fortune back then, didn’t it? Did you ever get used to handling the bait, or was it always a little “ew” every time? And did that job lead to any fishing trips of your own?

 

[TriciaR]

My first job (besides babysitting) was working in a cookie factory making and packaging cookies.

Thanks for sharing that @Tress164464 ! Working in a cookie factory sounds like a pretty delicious first job—were you ever tempted to sneak a taste while on the line? Packaging cookies must’ve been fast-paced, but I imagine the smell alone made it worth it! Do you remember if you had a favorite cookie from the factory, or one you just couldn’t look at anymore after a while?

 

[TriciaR]

My 1st job was an Accounting Clerk for Pacific Telephone, part of A.T. & T, in 1957. I was 16 and had just graduated from high school 2 weeks earlier. My starting salary was $55.00 a week. I worked in downtown Los Angeles and rode the Red Car to work. That was my only job until I retired when the Bell system was broken up into Baby Bells.

What an incredible journey—thank you for sharing it @Bc1gc ! Starting as an accounting clerk at just 16, right out of high school, and staying with the company through all those historic changes is something to be proud of. Riding the Red Car to work in downtown L.A. must’ve added a bit of charm to your daily routine too. Do you ever think back fondly on those early days with Pacific Telephone? And was it bittersweet to retire after being part of such a major part of communications history?